There are three main parts to the Government's student finance package: loans, grants and bursaries. While loans and grants are the main feast in a burger and bun-style combo, bursaries are an important part of student funding too - the just-as-essential ketchup if you will.

Some people in high up places are pondering if a national bursary scheme would be better rather than institutional bursaries which vary from uni to uni. Basically the more low-income students a university has to support the less money it has left in its coffers to hand out as bursaries.

There is also the worry that universities are using their bursaries as recruitment tools to drive up the numbers of high flying students or even students from a poorer areas to help up a university's socio demographic ratio. 

At the moment this is more a worry and future concern rather than reality and the main thing students need to worry about is what and how they can get the extra money.
A few points to remember
Just to reiterate: they are paid on top of student loans and grants and you don't have to pay them back.

All universities and colleges in England must pay a minimum amount of £310 to students who have to pay the full tuition fees and recieve the full maintenance or special support grant. 88% of universities offer students additional money to the minimum.

Beyond the minimum, universities decide themselves how much each student gets in financial help. A fair number of unis cough up £1,000 but some lucky students can receive up to £3,500.

14% of universities encourage students to stick at the FE route by increasing the amount of money on offer each year. For example London Southbank University offers students £500 in the first year, £750 in year two and three and a £250 graduation bonus.

Payment
Bursaries are paid straight into your bank account by your university.
(Some, usually the old-school special bursaries pay in kind either with a discount on books or other course materials or free transport.)
 
Rules and amounts differ from place to place so contact your uni directly for application details.

Search for your university on the UCAS website to see if you apply to them directly for a bursary or through Student Finance England .

Student Finance England handles students' finance for, erm, England. (There are similar bodies for Wales and Northern Ireland and the SAAS for Scotland.) When you fill out your main application for financial assistance the form asks if you are happy for them to share your application details with your university. 

Once you've got over a talking application form, make sure you tick the boxes to keep the process running along smoothly and as quickly as possible. Otherwise you'll just have to sort it out yourself at a later date.

Bursaries NHS Bursaries Special Bursaries

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